Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-11
SUN sALUTING STOPPED.
The Powder has Become Exhausted
and the Sunrise and sunset suns on
the Island Must Cease---AbOut or

the Island Must Cease About OH
GERS saIutes.
A recent order received at the COM
msndant's headquarters on the island
reads:
The practice of firing a morning and
evening gun at military posts will be dis
continued until further orders, except at
the q. s. Military academy, West Point,
New York; at Fort Monroe, Virginia and
ut Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. in conse-
quence of the supply of powder remain
| ing at the close of the rebellion which has
been used for this purpose having become
exhausted and the ordinance department
being without funds for the purchase OF
the powder required.
The powder that was used for this
purpose was that found with the rebel
| armies at their final surrender, and
| which was taken from condemned large
and small ammunition, said Col. Bay
lor to Davenport Democrat reporter
Yesterday morning: There were great
| uuhutIlltS bt H. uut tllt ittdlhtf'uthE VI
| salutes was as good way to dispose of
| it rs any, probably the best way, There
are many forts in the far west where the
custom has never been kept up. but it
has been maintained at the more import
ant forts in the states And now that it
has been discontinued | don't know of
| anybody who is particular anxious to
have it resumed"
There was some talk about the expense
of the morning and evening salutes. At
| the forts on the sea coast and lakes.
where they fired Columbiads and eigL-
teen Founders, the charge for a single re-
| port required six to ten pounds of
powder, At this arsenal. however. the
charge was one pound and a half of
| powder for the brass piece used
| The cannon used for saluting the rising
and setting of the sun at Rock Island ar
senal were stationed on the river bank on
|
opposite the wooden mills at Davenport.
On Il clear day the report could be heard
for miles around. The time for firing
were the hours in the astronomical caleu-
dar for the rising and setting of the sun
in the latitude of the post At some
seasons of the year, the morning gun WAS
n nuisance in East Davenport On the
LIST of May the Numbering report comes
at O'Clock just the time when thous-
snds of people like to enjoy morning
nap, and then the rouSemont comes ears
ler and earlier till the middle of June.
when the city is AWAKENED by the gan at
4 30 And it is not until the Sd of August
that it sounds as late as ) O'Clock again
How many wicked words in the city did
the morning gun inspire in the summer
time. The latest morning gun was fired
at 1.22 in December and The earliest at
4 81 IN June. The earliest evening gun
was fired at 4.t4 IN December and the
latest at : .335 IN June
The order of Gen Sheridan discontinu
ing the firing of these guns. does not in
terfere with the reception and ceremonial
salutes. These will be fired as usual
As many times as reception salutes have
been given on the island, few readers
know OF the distinction between them
The army regulations authorize them as
follows:
National Sqlute-One gun for each
state in the Union, to be fired on the Atm
day of July
Presidents salute-Twenty one guns
on his arrival and departure from post
or when he passes in the vicinity of "a
post
| Gencrai-in- Chief Of the army-seven,
teen guns.
Lirutenan;~G eneral-ffteen guns
l0r -Gcntral--thirteen guns.
Brigadier- decentralization guns
Vice President and president of senate
i-nineteen guns.
| Member OF the Cabinet Chief Just zee
of the L 5. supreme court committee
from congress, and governors within
their respective states or territories-
Seventeen guns
American or Foreign Ministers-Flf
teen guns
Ministers resident accredited to the
United Thirteen guns.
Charge des Affaires accredited to the
United States Eleven guns.
Consul General accredited to the
United States-Nine guns.
Sovereign or chief magistrate of any
foreign country, heir next the throne -
receives the salute prescribed for the
president. The salute of the national
flag is twenfy-one guns. General officers
are to be complimented with salute
but once a year at any post. As
to the governors salute, the governor
of Illinois is the only official in the
United States entitled to it, The Demo-
cra thus walls over This fact.
Should Governor Larrabee visit the isl
and, his reception would be quiet rs
though the humblest citizen of Iowa were
there; but let Governor Oglesby come to
the arsenal, and no sooner does he set his
| foot on Uncle Sans domain, than the
great guns roar their loudest to do him
honor.
Same Law